Joshua vs Fury: The numbers behind the biggest fight of the century
There are still a few obstacles to navigate, but on Wednesday it was announced that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed a deal in principle to fight in 2021.
The two Brits hold all the heavyweight division’s belts, with Joshua in possession of the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles, and Fury the WBC champion.
Should the fights go ahead as planned, it could be the biggest bout in boxing history, potentially challenging the $350m (£277m) that Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fought for in 2017.
When/where?
Both fighters have mandatory defences that they must first fulfil, with Joshua facing Kubrat Pulev and Fury meeting Deontay Wilder for a third time. Should both Brits win, then a two-fight deal is in place for next year – probably the summer and then December.
Given the above, plus the uncertainty surrounding attendances and live sport due to the coronavirus, nothing is confirmed.
Fighting outside the UK would be a last resort if regulations don’t allow for large crowds, but Wembley, the Principality Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are obvious contenders. Failing that, venues further afield will come into play.
Prize money:
The split for the first fight has been reported as 50-50, with the winner taking a 60-40 split in the second.
Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, estimates both fighters could earn around $70m each for the first fight, and potentially double that for the rematch.
Boxing record:
Fury: 31-0-1 (21 KOs)
Joshua: 24-1 (21 KOs)
Fury is the only one of the two who remains undefeated. His draw with Deontay Wilder in their first meeting is the only time the Gypsy King hasn’t won since turning professional.
Likewise, Joshua has just one outing without a win, but he suffered a loss to Andy Ruiz Jnr in April 2019. Both have 21 knock outs to their name, although Fury has seven fights more on his record.
Career earnings:
Given his higher profile, and far more endorsements, Joshua tips the scales at around the £110m mark. Fury, sits around a net worth of £35m.
Fury has plenty coming his way, however. After his first bout with Wilder, Fury signed a five-fight deal with ESPN and Top Rank which is thought to be worth around £80m.
Joshua netted between £40m-£60m for his second fight with Andy Ruiz Jr, where he regained his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts.
Joshua also has sponsorship deals with Audemars Piguet, Beats, British Airways, Hugo Boss, Jaguar, Lucozade and Under Armour.
Followers:
In terms of followers and fans on social media, the younger man blows his opponent out of the water, with over three times as many followers on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook combined.
Joshua – Instagram: 11.3m, Twitter: 3m, Facebook: 5.2m, Total: 17.5 million approx.
Fury – Instagram: 3.8m, Twitter: 1.5m, Facebook: 738k, Total: 5 million approx.